This invention relates to roll-off vehicles, and, more particularly, to a loading device which is removably attached to a roll-off vehicle.
A roll-off vehicle is a truck or other vehicle which is designed to load and transport large containers, such as refuse containers. A roll-off vehicle conventionally includes a rail assembly which includes two or more rails and which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle for movement between a horizontal or transport position and an inclined or raised loading or unloading position. A hoist on the rail assembly includes one or more cables which can be connected to a container, e.g., a refuse container, for pulling the container upwardly along the inclined rail assembly. After the container is pulled onto the rails by the cable, the raii assembly is lowered to the transport position. The vehicle can then transport the container.
Petersen Industries, the assignee of this invention, has provided a loading device which can be pulled onto, and be removably mounted on, a roll-off vehicle. The loading device includes a container body and a knuckleboom loader which carries a grapple. Mounting the loading device on the roll-off vehicle permits the vehicle to be used temporarily as a grapple vehicle. After the grapple work has been performed, the loading device can be removed from the vehicle to permit the vehicle to return to its normal use.
In order to perform properly, the loading device must be tied securely, yet removably, to the roll-off vehicle. The attachment mechanism must withstand very high stresses.
The prior art mechanism for attaching a loading device to a roll-off vehicle is complicated and difficult to install. As a result, the attachment mechanisms have been installed on the roll-off vehicles at Petersen Industries' facility. This requires the owner of the roll-off vehicle to send the vehicle to Petersen Industries, and the vehicle is out of service and cannot be used again by the owner until the attachment mechanism is installed and the vehicle is returned.